Intervenciones de enfermería en adultos mayores con problemas de demencia.

Abstract

Dementia is a syndrome caused by chronic or progressive brain diseases that leads to the deterioration of multiple higher cognitive functions. The dementia syndrome manifests in various neurological conditions, whether they affect the brain primarily or secondarily. In general, dementia predominates in older adults; however, it is estimated that between 2% and 10% of cases occur before the age of 65. Objective: The general objective of the present study is the design of a training program aimed at the prevention of dementia in Ecuador. It is expected that, through the implementation of this training program, it will contribute to reducing disorders of mental capacity, cognitive impairment, and memory loss among the population. Methodology: To achieve the stated objective, documentary research was conducted based on the review of specialized bibliographic sources. Regarding the databases reviewed, it was determined that SciELO was the platform with the greatest number of publications, representing 26.7% of the total analyzed articles. It was followed by Edumed with 20.0%, and the databases of Elsevier, Infobase, and Redalyc, each with 13.3% of the references examined. On the other hand, SciELO Peru and ScienceDirect each contributed 6.7% of the publications reviewed. Results obtained: The results of the bibliographic analysis confirm that dementia is a syndrome that causes a progressive deterioration of memory, thinking, behavior, and the ability to perform daily activities. According to WHO data, every twenty years the number of people affected by dementia will double. It is expected that Latin America and the Caribbean will be the regions most affected by this phenomenon, with a projected increase from 3.4 million people with dementia in 2010 to 7.6 million in 2030. This figure is triple that recorded in the year 2000, when 113,631 deaths from dementia were counted. Likewise, the age-adjusted mortality rate increased from 11.8 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2000 to 22.3 per 100,000 in 2019. These data reflect a sustained increase in the burden of dementia. Conclusion: Dementia is a neurodegenerative disorder of a chronic and progressive nature that causes significant deterioration of memory, thinking, and behavior. Various studies show that maintaining healthy lifestyle habits (regular physical activity, a balanced diet, blood pressure control, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, among others) can reduce the risk of developing dementia.